27 February 2010

Gomekxx 08-09 Best

Since it took me so damn long to post my Best Of list, I threw together a bonus Gomekxx featuring a track from each of my 2008-2009 favorites. Totally random sequencing again rules the day here... I just went in order that I listed them in my last post. These are all sweet tunes, and I had to close with MGMT's "Electric Feel" once again because MGMT's "Oracular Spectacular" is not only my favorite Album of the Decade, but "Electric Feel" is my #1 Song of the Decade as well. Maybe one day I'll compile a list of Songs of the Decade... but don't hold your breath!
He Wasn't There : Lilly Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
Light Sweet Crude : Obits - I Blame You
Wet Hair : Japandroids - Post-Nothing
Terminally Chill : Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
Lady Madrid : Pereza - Aviones
Imazeghen n Adagh : Tinariwen - Imidiwan:Companions
Fresh Born : Deerhoof - Offend Maggie
Paris Is Burning : Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Golden Age: TV on the Radio - Dear Science,
Raise Me Up : Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
Rollerskate Jam : Plantlife - Time Traveler
Official : Q-Tip - The Renaissance
Electric Feel : MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
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Best of the Decade

It's oh-so-overdue but it's finally here... my lists of the Best Albums of last year, 2009, as well as my Best of the Decade. Have I missed some stuff I'm going to kick myself over? Most definitely, but I didn't want to sit on this any longer.
The list is strictly limited to new releases. A true read of my listening habits in the past decade would show me listening to this kind of stuff about 30 to 40% or the time, with the other 60 to 70% dedicated to older reggae, dub, punk, and African. Check 'em out, check the sound for yourself, and share your bests with me!
BEST RELEASES OF 2009

Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You

Obits-I Blame You

Japandroids – Post-Nothing

Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms

Pereza-Aviones

Tinariwen – Imidiwan: Companions

BEST RELEASES OF THE DECADE

2008

Deerhoof - Offend Maggie

Ladyhawke – Ladyhawke

TV on the Radio - Dear Science

Hercules & Love Affair

Plantlife – Time Traveler

Q-Tip – the Renaissance

2007

Tinariwen – Aman Iman: Water Is Life

Jarabe de Palo- Adalantando

Greyboy Allstars – What Happened to Television?

2006

Lily Allen-Alright, Still

Fito & Fitipaldis – Por la boca vive el pez

Julieta Venegas – Limon y Sal

2005

Arctic Monkeys – Beneath the Boardwalk

M.I.A. – Arular

Pereza – Animales

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – Naturally

2004

the Donnas – Gold Medal

2003

Julieta Venegas – Si

2002

Neil Finn – 7 Worlds Collide

Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

2001

Cake – Comfort Eagle

Weezer – Green Album

Bjork – Vespertine

Aterciopelados – Gozo Poderoso

Radiohead - Amnesiac

2000

Regurgitator - …Art

Bjork – Selmasongs

Sleater-Kinney – All Hands on the Bad One

Radiohead – Kid A

ALBUM OF THE DECADE

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (2008)

23 December 2009

The Idiot Box

LCD, LED, plasma & pixels, scan rate, HD and 16:9... chances are this jargon actually makes sense to you. Inside most peoples' homes lurks a glossy black attention-sucking monster, whose powers for good are usually subsumed by its propensity for evil. That stuff makes for some good musical fodder, so let's chow down and chew.
I've raved before about the Australian punk scene of the late '70s into the '80s, so I won't climb up on that soapbox again... BUT if you want ONE comp that sums up the scene nicely, Do the Pop! is the one to get. I love that it includes not only the era's big songs, but also obscure gems that fans of the scene will really enjoy. The very best find for me was learning of singer Dave Faulkner's pre-Hoodoo Gurus band the Victims... and their contribution is killer, maybe the best track on the entire comp. If you hear a snippet of a dj at the end, you can tell I originally got this from the mighty Swami!
Television Addict by the Victims, from Do the Pop!: The Australian Garage Rock Sound 1976-1987 (Do the Pop, 2002)
How do you pick a cover over an original by Iggy Pop? Not lightly, but if the cover band is Radio Birdman you're in good shape (I like Siouxsie's take on "The Passenger" too, I should add). Birdman is another example of Aussie first-wave punk, and probably the most influential of all. Here they take Mr. Osterberg's tender composition and speed up the sludge to a snarl.
T.V. Eye by Radio Birdman, from Under the Ashes (Trafalgar/WEA, 1988)
Repo Man was a weird-ass movie from the early '80s, and it spawned a kick-ass soundtrack. This is second-wave punk here, of the LA variety. While that scene wasn't quite up to the standard of the first wave, it still churned out some classics. Almost everything on Repo Man falls into the classic file. On "TV Party", a young Rollins rages about the box, shouting out era-specific TV hits like Hill Street Blues and Dynasty. And it's just my theory, but I think the Rollins burp that begins the song is a tribute to the croaked "Look!" that begins Iggy's (and Birdman's) "T.V. Eye".
TV Party by Black Flag, from Repo Man Original Soundtrack (MCA, 1984)
Bonus:
The bonus track manages to stick to this post's theme while at the same time departing from it entirely... gotta love when that happens. Marquee Moon is an album I got my hands on much too late, but I've been making up for it with constant airplay since. "Venus" has nothing at all to do with TV, but it IS by Television... BONUS!
Venus by Television, from Marquee Moon (Elektra, 1977)

22 October 2009

Gomekxx JK Mix Part 2

Now then, drinks in hand, we head on to part two... as the sun-filled wind of afternoon gives way to a calm purple dusk, we toast the happy couple. Some sublime beats to celebrate.
Outta Sight : James Taylor Quartet - the Very Best of Acid Jazz (Disc 2)
River Stone : Lee "Scratch" Perry f.Robert Palmer - From the Heart of the Congo
You Make Me High : Terry Ellis - Southern Girl
Revival [Rebirth Edit] : Martine Girault - The Rebirth of Cool, Vol. 1 (US Edition)
The End : Llorca - ClubQuart00
Soulpower (Jazzanova Rework) : Marschmellows - ClubQuart00
New Craze (Populez Mix) : Javabubbaboogaloo - Javabubbaboogaloo
Gabriel : Roy Davis Jr. w/Peven Everett - JDJ Desert Island Mix (Gilles Peterson)
The Sweetest Thing : Lauryn Hill - Love Jones Soundtrack
Cuchy Frito Man : Cal Tjader - Thievery Corporation Present Sounds from the Verve Hi-Fi
M.L. in the Sunshine : Count Basic - Jazz Confusion
Stax Jam : Paul Williamson's Hammond Combo - Red Hot Go
The Reason : Sylk - Liquid Nitrogen
Reach Out : Midfield General - Chilled Ibiza
Total Time: 63.41
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10 October 2009

Gomekxx JK Mix Part 1

What I miss about EspaƱa is just about everything... the people, the food, and the cradle of three giant mountains that we lived within...
This Gomekxx was a parting shot to al Andaluz, a mix I did to be played at the wedding of our great friends John & Karen. Not a dancefloor mix, but a cool jazzy one to start the proceedings on a typically sun-drenched day overlooking the Med. A great couple, a great time.... and less than a week later we were gone. ¡Joder!
Swing Sambaby : Trio Mocoto - Gilles Peterson in Brazil (Sao Paulo & Rio)
Brother Sister : the Brand New Heavies - Brother Sister
At the River : Groove Armada - Chilled Ibiza
Panacea : Greyboy - Freestylin'
Ether Shake : Atrapa Polvo - Gomek's Revenge
Freshman 10 : the Greyboy Allstars - Live
Fantastico : Jazzelicious - Brazil Remixed 2
Love Junkee Starring Cameo : DJ Cam - Soulshine
Noon is the Crack of Dawn : That Phat - That Phat
Russian Qualude : Karl Denson - D Stands For Diesel
Dream On Dreamer (the Angel Remix) : the Brand New Heavies - Excursions, Remixes & Rare Grooves
(When You) Call Me : Style Council - Home & Abroad
How Glad I Am : the Greyboy Allstars - What Happened to Television?
Never Give It Up : Papa Lips - High Time Now
Nautilus (Mawtilus) : Nuyorican Soul - Nuyourican Soul
Total Time: 67.45
Download HERE